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Manxgiving Manxgiving is Thursday, Nov. 24th, 2005. Bella's Scratching Post presents your guide to the Manxgiving legend and recipes. THE LEGEND: Long ago and far away on the Isle of Man, a band of striped Manx Cats, tired of their poor and weary condition, pulled together and decided to embark on a long voyage to find the land of their dreams: a soft, comfy spot with sun, sand and the occasional mouse or bird. The rolling waves of the sea lulled the Manxes to sleep, but the journey was mostly a rough, choppy one - the cats often seasick. Finally, after weeks of a diet consisting of nothing but Fancy Feast Beef Feast, the roundish-shaped boat reached land - and a wondrous place it was. Sand with the consistency of TidyCat. Tree bark of the same density as fine furniture. Tiny birds fluttering about. It was Manx Heaven. Ah, but what would the hungry cats have for their first dinner? After a brief, six-hour nap, they hastily scoured the area in search of sustinence. There was much "moww - rowwing". Then, one of the cats saw a small patch of ripe currants. Another, a spice garden, and others found sugar plantations, herds of cows, and a box of bicarbonate of soda someone had probably dropped from their shopping bag. Purrs could be heard all around, as the cats prepared their first meal, the traditional Isle of Man bread, known as Bonnag (see recipe, below). Afterwards, the Manx Cats talked about how grateful they were to be safe, sound, and stuffed. And they decided to name this day of thanks "Manxgiving". Because it was all about giving tasty food to the famished Manx, after all. But it was more than that - it was also a remembrance of their home land - that beautiful, green isle, the land of the tailless cat, the ancestral home of Bella T. Manx! Manxgiving Recipes Bella's Bonnag
Put dry ingredients in a bowl. Rub in the butter. Gradually add the buttermilk and the vanilla. Mix to a soft dough. Mix in the currants, raisins or chips. Add a little more buttermilk if necessary. Pour ingredients into a greased loaf pan (or shape into a round - like a Manx cat). Bake for about one hour at 350 to 375 degrees. The Bonnag should be three to four inches thick and loaf-shaped (again, like a Manx cat). Best served sliced and warm. Historical note: On the Isle of Man, a round three-legged pot was used in the cottagess for roasting, baking and stewing. It hung from a chain (slouree) over a turf fire in the big open hearth (chiollagh).
In large bowl with fork, break crab meat into fine shreds. Mix in remaining ingredients except butter or margarine and lemon wedges. Divide mixture into 8 portions. In 10-inch skillet over medium heat, into hot butter or margarine, spoon 4 portions into patties. Fry patties until a golden color on undersides; turn and brown other sides. Keep patties warm and repeat with other 4 portions. Serve with Tartar Sauce and lemon wedges.
Sieve flour and salt and make a well in the centre. Add the eggs and mix in the flour gradually, slowly adding the milk. Beat well till the mixture is full of bubbles. Stir in the currants. Pour into a greased pudding basin. Cover and steam for about two hours. Historical note: On the Isle of Man, no work was to be done on a Sunday and it was customary to prepare the Sunday meal the previous night. The usual dessert was a batter pudding made of milk and eggs. When rice pudding was introduced into the Island it was called 'sweet porridge with currants in it'. During the rest of the week the dinner routine on the farms was 'broth, pudding, beef'. The reason perhaps was that hungry farm-workers would eat less meat if their appetites were first quelled by helpings of steamed currant pudding. |
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2-1/2 cups of plain flour (brown or white)